Fire crews get slight break with cooler weather

But the slightly cooler temperatures and scattered showers are expected to soon give way to the hot, dry conditions that gripped the state's interior in May.

There are 81 active fires burning Wednesday. That's a decrease of 14 from Tuesday's 95 fires. So far this year, 283 fires have burned 660 square miles in the state.

Fire information officer Bob Summerfield credits the weather for letting fire crews better tackle the blazes. He says it also means fewer new fires and the end of older fires.

Summerfield says the forecast calls for thunderstorms through the week, which can bring rain but also lightning that could spark blazes. Increased temperatures and lower humidity are expected by early next week.